Anza Events Calendar, A-2
Cooking Corner: Peanut butter pie, A-3
Anza Community Hall’s Anza Days Kick Off party is a success, A-5
ANZA VALLEY
OUTLOOK WITH CONTENT FROM
July 10 – 16, 2015
www.anzavalleyoutlook.com
Local
First Anza Cahuilla Band of Indians gathering on July 25
25¢
Sales tax included at news stand
A
Section Volume 15, Issue 28
Town celebrates July 4th, Anza Days style
Tony Ault Writer Members of the Cahuilla Band of Indians from throughout Southern California and guests will be coming together at the Anza Indian Reservation for bird singing, dancing and competitive sports activities at the first Anza Cahuilla Band of Indians gathering on July 25. see page A-3
Local
Mower Racing is back on in Anza Members of the Church of Latter Day Saints wave at spectators.
Jodi Thomas Area Manager Mower Racing is back on in Anza following an unfortunate circumstance that befell Anza Racing Mowers leader Don Watson last month. Due to that circumstance, June’s race was canceled and the fate of the rest of the racing season was in limbo. see page A-4
Real Estate
What is your home worth? How do you know? John Occhi and Mike Mason Special to the Valley News Today’s home owner wants to make certain that they know the true value of their home before they put it on the market and sell it. The last thing any home seller ever wants to do is leave money on the table.
Jodi Thomas Anza Area Manager It was a warm, nice day and the highway was lined with spectators. It was a great turnout to watch the Anza Days parade and everyone was having fun visiting and seeing those they knew riding down the street. Several equestrian groups and
other organizations dressed up their favorite trailers and themselves and threw candy to the crowd. The first group, the VFW Color Guard and their float following, was the Grand Prize Winner. No one rode upon this float as it was dedicated to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The Hamilton School Band won Best Musical Float this year.
Jodi Thomas photo
Margaret Wellman Jaenke was the Grand Marshall this year. In her 90s, she is a phenomenal driving force that heralds the importance of the area’s history. She is a descendent of several families that homesteaded the area as early as the late 1800s. She taught in the local schools for many years. She is the author of three books about the area’s history and spearheaded
the formation of the local Hamilton Museum at the end of Contreas Road in Anza where she is the head curator. On the museum grounds are original homesteads dating back to the early 1900s. She and her family still carry on the family cattle business residing in the high country as their ancestors did,
see PARADE, page A-6
Electric bill reductions expected for AEC members in September, officials announce Tony Ault Writer More than 4,000 Anza Electric Cooperative members, due to a favorable 2014 financial report, will see reduced September electric bills, announced Kevin Short, the cooperative’s general manager. Short explained that during the past few years, the not-for-profit cooperative has realized a $500,000 financial gain from reduced operating expenses and interest reductions.
“Because we are a nonprofit rural electric cooperative any savings is passed on to our members,” Short said. “They will be seeing reductions in the electric bills in September.” Larger cooperative members, like Agri-Empire, may receive checks for the credits, he said. Even past members of the cooperative that serves the Anza Valley and surrounding areas, may receive a check from the cooperative, an annual report says. The annual report, to be issued
to cooperative members, explains that AEC operates differently than investor owned utilities. Electric cooperatives are not-for-profit entities (501c12s), delivering electricity to their membership at the cost of their service. IOUs on the other hand, exist to make a profit, a part of which is distributed to their shareholders in the form of dividends. The dividends are only available to those who invest in the utility. The remainder of the profit is retained by the IOU. Excessive cooperative operat-
ing revenue must be returned to its membership in the form of capital credits. The amount of capital credit returned is in proportion to the member’s electric bills. A member who uses more electricity earns more capital credits than one who uses less electricity. The annual report says that since 1989, AEC has returned more than $9 million to its present and former members. The $500,000 retirement this year, represents any remaining
see AEC, page A-3
see page B-7
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FALLBROOK, CA PERMIT #499
Cowboy Mounted Shooters Club to be formed in the Valley
Anza Valley Outlook
Jodi Thomas Area Manager “We are shooting .45 long barrel Colts using black powder only so spectators are safe. At the Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association events when you use certified shells your shots are guaranteed to hit up to 15 feet. It’s the burning black powder that breaks the balloon. At 20 feet you might hit something but 15 feet you’re pretty good,” said Ed Graham setting astride his mare on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Mounted Shooter Greg Bruce pointed out a safety fact – while the rounds used are only black powder they are not safe to shoot directly at anyone or anything. He said a good rule of thumb is to never point a gun loaded or not at anything or anyone you do not want to harm to avoid an accidental shooting. “There are 60 different stages of competitive shooting,” explained Graham. “ At this level the object is to ride down at a gallop, shooting at the six blue balloons, then first turnaround the barrel at the end and then come back weaving in and out shooting the white balloons. This is a timed event; there are points taken off for missing a balloon, hitting the pole or not following the correct pattern.” A handful of skilled horsemen and women had gathered at the Lions Gymkhana field to work on their mounted shooting skills. Some were there to condition their mounts to the noise others were
Michael Thomas’ mare’s first react to the gunfire is to fight not flee.
there to practice their shooting skills. As each person took turns working on a particular skill, others benefitted as they and their mounts watched and learned. It is their goal to have a Cowboy Mounted Shooters Association Club in Anza
Valley. Graham, who is now retired and settled into his mountain home in Garner Valley, has been pursuing his goal to be a part of this growing sport. Both he and his companion Carol Slagle have been involved with Cowboy Mounted Shooting
Michelle Hunt photos
for six years. They have achieved Senior Second Level Champion status as well. Outside of event, the couple have only been able to practice racing through the patterns as there is no live fire allowed at
see SHOOTERS, page B-1